


Dark Dreams

by kronette



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Character Turned Into Vampire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-02
Updated: 2013-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 07:44:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/619713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kronette/pseuds/kronette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are a series of murders on board DS Nine, with the victims completely drained of blood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dark Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in 1995. Sedi Jarelle is my own creation.

He bolted upright, gasping for air. His trembling body was covered in sweat. He called for lights, squinting in the suddenly too bright light. Dr. Julian Bashir looked around, assuring himself he was indeed in his quarters, still on the space station. The dream... _Ha_ , he thought. **That** _was a nightmare_. He had been having this dream for over two weeks, each night slightly different, yet frighteningly the same. The nightmare was quickly fading, and Julian thankfully couldn't recall what it was about. All that was left with him was a sense of terror, and foreboding.

***

Dr. Bashir rubbed his tired eyes for the millionth time that morning. He couldn't concentrate on his work. His thoughts were constantly trying to remember anything about his nightmares. And having an unsolved murder to deal with on top of that wasn't helping. Odo had found the body three days ago, almost completely drained of blood. The only evidence was two puncture wounds in the neck, much like a snake bite. But no reptiles showed up on scanners, and no DNA fragments were found on or near the body, except for those who had found it. It was a mystery, one Julian didn't like having to solve. He stretched and continued with the analysis, sure that nothing would come of it. Nothing had the last five times he had ran it. He rubbed his eyes one more time, and resumed staring at the data streaming past him.

"Julian, are you all right?" The soft voice came from behind him, and he jumped. He whirled around to see Lieutenant Jadzia Dax looking down at him, concern for him shining from her clear blue eyes.

"I didn't mean to frighten you, I just..." Jadzia began soothingly, trying to calm him down. He was pale and shaking.

Julian took some steadying breaths, trying to control his shaking hands. "Jadzia, yes, I'm fine. You just startled me, that's all." He managed a thin smile, but it quickly faded. His fatigue was showing, and Jadzia picked up on it.

"Julian, aren't you getting enough sleep? You don't have to search for the killer by yourself. That's why I'm here, to help." She had noticed Julian looked tired at the staff meetings, but now he looked near to exhaustion.

"Believe me, I appreciate your help. But there's nothing to help with. The man was drained of all blood, presumably by a snakelike creature, around 0100. That's it." His helplessness worried Jadzia. She had seen him like this before, and knew what he was doing to himself. "Just the two puncture wounds, with no trace of DNA around. It's...spooky."

"Julian, you make it sound as if a ghost did this," Jadzia teased, hoping to lighten the mood.

Julian fixed her with a dead serious look. "I'm beginning to think that's exactly what happened. A ghost killed that man."

"You're not serious," she stated, not sure if she should believe him or not.

He let out a tired sigh. "No, of course not. I'm just tired. I think I've been too close to this for awhile. I need to distance myself from it." He looked up at Jadzia, some of the old charm resurfacing. "How about distracting me with a cup of raktajino? I could go for a break."

"That sounds like a good idea. Then maybe you'll stop talking about ghosts." Jadzia watched as Julian instructed the computer to alert him to any new findings, then they crossed the hall to the Replimat.

Odo was just as puzzled as Julian. The body had been found at 0535 in the middle of the habitat ring. The victim, Reshi Toolang, was a quiet Bajoran shopowner on the Promenade. He kept to himself, didn't cause any trouble, and was liked by everyone who knew him. _Well, maybe not_ everyone, Odo thought. Someone wanted him dead. No motive, no fingerprints, no witnesses, and the biggest mystery: no blood. Odo hated mysteries, especially when they involved murder on his station. He wanted this killer brought to justice.

Julian returned to work after Jadzia had gotten his mind off the murder for awhile. She returned to OPS, where Commander Benjamin Sisko asked her to his office.

"Well Dax, how is it going?" Benjamin asked, looking at the baseball in his hand.

"How is what going, Benjamin?" she asked sweetly, trying to lighten his mood. She sat in the chair opposite him.

Benjamin sighed. "The case. Has Doctor Bashir or Odo made any headway?" He was not in the mood for jokes. Someone had been killed on his station, and so far, had gotten away with it.

Jadzia sobered, shaking her head. "Sorry Benjamin. Julian had nothing new, and Odo is ready to tear the station apart."

"I know how he feels." Benjamin threw the baseball into his other hand. "There were no witnesses and no evidence. I can't believe this happened."

"I know." Jadzia knew what was bothering Benjamin; a killer loose on the station with Jake there was too much. "I was thinking of running a stationwide search, checking everyone's whereabouts that night against where the computer says they were."

Benjamin swung in his chair to face Jadzia. "Not a bad idea, but do you think it's come to that?" he asked, resting his elbows on the desk.

"I think so," Jadzia said quietly. "Nothing new has turned up, and we're running out of time. No ships have left since then, and they're not going to like staying here much longer."

Benjamin put the baseball down hard. "All right, I'll have Odo see to it. I don't like prying into the entire station's life, but it looks like I'm going to have to." His concern and frustration were overwhelming. He was worried about Jake, but also everyone else.

Jadzia left Benjamin to stare out his window at the dark sky.

***

Odo had been correlating everyone's whereabouts three nights ago with the computer, starting with the crews of the ships ready to leave. So far, everyone's alibi had checked out. He let out a frustrated 'hmph'. He had been at it for nine hours, and was feeling drained. After a moment's pause, he tapped his commbadge. "Odo to Dax."

"Dax here," came her reply.

Odo tried to sound agreeable. "Lieutenant, could you finish correlating the alibis for the station? I need to...rest," he added.

"Sure thing, Odo," she said, and closed the link. She rubbed her eyes and stretched. She had been working late in her lab, catching up with the rest of her workload. She had let it slide during the investigation, and now it looked like it would have to wait a while longer. She called up Odo's workfile and noted where he left off. She dreaded continuing, since that meant someone on the station had done it, but they had to be brought to justice. She sighed and started the cross-check that would tell her who the killer was.

***

Jadzia glanced at a chrono and was shocked at how late it was. _0115 already_ , she thought.  _About the time that Julian said Keshi had died_. She shivered involuntarily. She rubbed her eyes and decided she could use some rest herself. She marked where she was on the search and left her lab. As she walked down the corridor, she thought she heard faint noises behind her, but couldn't see anything. She walked faster, panic starting to catch her.  _Keep a level head_ , she told herself.  _You can always call security_. The thought of security calmed her, and her heart rate returned to normal. She reached her quarters and locked the door, just to be on the safe side.

A black shadow hovered around her door, then stole off into the shadows.

***

The next morning, Jadzia went to her station in OPS, keeping only half a mind on her work. It was a slow day, and she let her thoughts drift to the murder. Her train of thought was broken by a call from Julian.

"Bashir to Dax."

She pressed her commbadge. "Dax here. What is it Julian?"

"Jadzia, I may have found something. Could you come to the Infirmary?" he requested, the slightest edge of excitement in his voice

"I'll be right there."  _Finally_ , she thought. _A break in the case_. She waved to an Ensign to take her station, and went to the turbolift.

In the Infirmary, Julian and Odo were pouring over some data. Julian looked up, excited as Jadzia entered.

"Jadzia, come here. I want your confirmation on what this is." Some of his weariness had faded, though he still looked pale.

"What?" She stepped to the microscanner and peered in. She took a step back and looked at him hopefully. "It looks like skin cells...from our killer?"

"Yes." Julian rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. "I went back over the body with a microscanner, and found this on the victim's hand. It was so minute, the scanner couldn't detect it right away. I'm running a computer search to see if it matches anyone on the station." He sobered a bit, then asked, "No luck on finding a broken alibi on the crew of any of the outbound ships?"

"No," Odo interjected, breaking into the conversation. "Whoever did this is someone from the station."

Jadzia's smile faded. "Then we may very well know who it is."

Odo, Julian and Jadzia exchanged concerned glances, tinted with a hint of suspicion. Odo was the first to break the sudden silence.

"It looks like I have my work cut out for me. If the killer is on this station, we'll catch him. If you'll excuse me..." With a nod to each, Odo left the Infirmary. Julian rubbed his eyes again.

"Computer, lower lights by 10%," he requested, startling Jadzia.

"Julian, it's already dim in here. Are you sure you're not coming down with anything? Have you run any scans on yourself?" She picked up a tricorder, but Julian stopped her.

"I've already checked myself for infection, and I'm fine. Just low blood sugar, that's all. I just need some nourishment." He yawned. "And a good night's rest. I haven't been sleeping well," he admitted.

Jadzia started to admonish him, but knew he wouldn't listen. She knew him too well. Instead, she said, "I'll help you and Odo as much as possible. Thanks to you, we have a strong lead, and maybe enough evidence to convict the killer." She gave him a parting smile, leaving Julian alone in the Infirmary.

Julian clasped his hands together tightly, trying to stop the shaking. When that failed, he held them tightly between his knees, hoping that would work. His teeth started to chatter, and he broke out in a sweat. _What is going on_? he thought crazily. _What is happening to me_? The shaking spread all over his body, until he was forced to get up and walk around. He had an overwhelming desire to get out of the Infirmary, and headed to his quarters, not stopping for anyone.

***

"Odo to Dax."

The commbadge chirruping startled her out of her thoughts. Jadzia didn't know how long she had been staring at her computer. She pressed her commbadge. "Dax here. Go ahead."

"Lieutenant, I thought you would like an update. I checked into two unconfirmed alibis, but nothing came of it." He paused before continuing. "I'll keep you informed of any progress."

"Thank you, Odo." Jadzia could hear his frustration over the link. "Good luck. Dax out." She closed the link.

Jadzia sat quietly in her lab, a frown on her normally serene Trill features. She noticed the computer blinking at her; it had finished gathering the information she requested fifteen minutes ago. She shook her head and sorted through the files.

She became absorbed in the data, barely hearing the chirrup of her commbadge.

"Kira to Dax."

She absently pressed her commbadge. "Dax here."

"Dax, have you seen Bashir? He hasn't been in the Infirmary for over two hours." Annoyance and a bit of concern crept through the link with her voice.

Surprise flickered across Jadzia's features. "I saw him this morning in the Infirmary. He had a break in the case. I'll check it out. Dax out."

Jadzia sat silently for a second, then glanced behind her. _I could have sworn_... She shook her head.  _This murder has me on edge_. She left her lab, a shadow following her high above her head.

She went to the Infirmary, calling for Julian. When she couldn't see him, she asked the computer for his whereabouts. "Dr. Bashir is in his quarters," it promptly told her.

 _Ah_. she thought to herself. _He's finally getting some rest_. She pressed her commbadge. "Dax to Kira."

"Kira here."

"Kira, Julian is in his quarters, probably asleep. He's been tired the last few days, working overtime on the case. If it's not an emergency, I'd appreciate it if..."

"Sure," Kira's voice cut in, softer than before. "I hadn't realized he'd been working that hard. I'll inform Sisko. Kira out."

Jadzia took one more look around and left, the shadow following her.

Odo was waiting for her when she returned to her lab. "Odo, what's happened?" she asked gravely, seeing the look on his face.

"I'm afraid we've had another murder. This time in an airlock. Come with me." Grabbing a tricorder, she followed Odo to the docking ring, where security was keeping everyone out of the crime scene.

"Fiode Noo, the Second Officer of the Regalian freighter 'Molsza'." Odo nodded toward the body. "Same thing: no witnesses, blood drained from the body, and two puncture wounds in the neck. I couldn't find Bashir for an autopsy."

Jadzia was running the tricorder over the victim. "He's asleep in his quarters. He's been working overtime on this case, and needed to rest. I can do it." She checked the readout, and sighed. "Looks like the exact same thing. The victim looks to have died around 0100, same time as Keshi. Let's get the microscanner in here and see if we can find tissue or skin samples," she added as an afterthought.

Two of Julian's assistants went to retrieve the microscanner, which left Jadzia alone with Odo in the airlock with the body. Odo was not happy.

"Two murders in a week. I don't like this." Odo glanced down at the body with contempt. "And what kind of creature makes puncture wounds like that and doesn't leave a trace of blood behind?"

Jadzia's face lit up. "That's it! That's what we've been overlooking. These bodies have been _completely drained_ of blood, but there's hardly a drop anywhere. The killer might be...drinking it." Odo glanced at her sharply, disgust on his features. "That would explain the neat scene. But what kind of creature drinks blood?"

Jadzia set her jaw determinedly. "I'm going to find out." She returned to her lab, instructing the computer to start the new search. She ordered a raktajino while waiting for a match. The computer finally beeped, jerking her awake. She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep. She started going though the computer's findings, surprise and recognition coloring her features. She quickly checked the station logs to confirm what she feared. She found what she wanted, unsure whether to be happy or very worried.

She pressed her commbadge, never taking her eyes off the screen. "Dax to Sisko."

"Sisko here."

"Benjamin, could you come to my lab? I think I have a lead to who our killer is."

"I'll be right there," his surprised voice replied. "Sisko out."

She continued staring at the computer screen, hoping the words would change, but they didn't. Finally, the doors opened behind her.

"Benjamin, I think I've found out what's been going on here, but I don't think you're going to like it." Hearing no reply, she turned around, saying, "Benjamin..?" then ducked as something brushed her hair.

She slapped her commbadge. "Security to Science Lab. Emergency!" She dodged around the table, got to the door and ran straight into Benjamin. "AH! Oh, Benjamin, thank God you're here. We've got to seal off the Science Lab." She pushed him outside and shut the door.

Benjamin stared at her, stunned. "Dax, what the hell is going on? Why did you call me here and then shove me out of the lab?"

Jadzia caught her breath and began to piece together what had been happening. "Do you remember that Sheli freighter we found drifting in the Denorios Belt about a month ago?"

"Yes. I sent you and Bashir to check it out, but there was no one on board." Benjamin still had no idea what was going on, but he knew Jadzia would explain everything...eventually.

Jadzia shook her head. "There may have been no passengers, but there was something. I didn't catch the full meaning of what it was until I ran a check on what Odo and I just discovered." She noticed his blank expression, and backed up. "Both the bodies were drained of blood, with no trace of any drippings. Combined with the puncture wounds, I suspected we were dealing with a vampire."

Benjamin crossed his arms, shaking his head. "A vampire?" He broke into a huge grin. "Really, Dax, you had me going..."

Odo and his security forces arrived at the science lab. Odo headed straight for Jadzia, but she spoke first. "Keep that door locked. I don't want anyone to go in there, and I don't want it opened for anything. Understand?" Jadzia addressed Odo. He acknowledged with a nod, sending his forces around to the other entrances. Jadzia dragged Benjamin toward the Infirmary, talking excitedly the entire way.

"Benjamin, listen to me! I ran a check on the Sheli. It seems their body systems require blood every third cycle. They _drink_ it. We found a container filled with blood in the cargo bay. Julian brought some of it back to the station to test it. I completely forgot about it until I ran a check on species that drink blood. What Julian brought on board, I'm willing to bet, was blood contaminated with a vampire virus."

Benjamin was still smiling. "Come _on_ old man! You're pulling my leg. Vampires don't exist. You of all people should know that," he teased. When she didn't reply, he turned serious. She was shaken, something he'd never seen in all the years he'd known Dax. He sighed. "OK, let's get Bashir down here and see if we can find this 'vampire blood.'"

He tapped his commbadge. "Sisko to Bashir." He glanced at Jadzia when there was no response. He tried again. "Sisko to Bashir." Still no response. "Computer, locate Doctor Bashir."

"Doctor Bashir is in his quarters," the computer informed him.

Jadzia bit her lip, worried. "He's been in there since late this morning. I thought he would rest and come back to work. If he hasn't yet...."

"I think it's time to find out why he hasn't." Benjamin didn't want to admit it, but he was worried too. The two of them went to Julian's quarters, but he didn't answer the chime. "Computer, open the door to Doctor Bashir's quarters, authorization Sisko-alpha-one." The door slid open, and Jadzia gasped. The room was completely torn apart. Furniture was turned upside down, clothing was in shreds, and it looked like a tornado had passed through it. Benjamin and Jadzia walked cautiously around, looking for Julian.

"Benjamin, I think I found something," she called as she knelt by the bed. Benjamin joined her, looking over her shoulder at the commbadge nestled in her hand. It still had a strip of black material clinging to the back, like it had been ripped off of its owner.

Benjamin's face was grim. "It appears you may have been correct, Dax. We may have a vampire on board, and it may have taken Doctor Bashir." He tapped his commbadge. "Sisko to security. We need to locate Doctor Bashir. We believe he's been kidnapped."

Odo's surprised voice came over the line. "Acknowledged."

Jadzia straightened with Julian's commbadge still in her hand. She looked around for Julian's terminal and set it on a table. "I want to check the station logs for any other Sheli ship or passenger that visited the station." She sat down and requested the information. Her face was still troubled, and she voiced her concern. "Even if a Sheli is responsible, I can't believe they did this and didn't leave a trace. It isn't possible, not even...."

Benjamin caught her voice fading out. "What?"

Jadzia was getting excited. "Not even for a ghost. Julian was speculating about ghosts earlier. Maybe the sensor logs would have a ghost trace of whoever was in all three places. Computer, begin check for life traces in crime scenes from 2545 to 0115."

"Working."

Benjamin looked thoughtfully at Jadzia. "Why did you seal off the Science lab?" he asked, bringing her back to the original problem.

Jadzia's eyes grew huge. "Computer, run a scan on the science lab. Report any lifesigns."

"One lifesign recorded."

Jadzia beamed at Benjamin. "I think we may have our vampire."

Benjamin didn't look convinced. "Computer, identify lifesign."

"Lifesign is biological lifeform Odo."

Jadzia jumped out of her chair, muttering, "What is he doing in there?" She and Benjamin headed back to the Science Lab, where Odo was inspecting every inch of space.

Jadzia charged up, right in his face. "Odo, I specifically told you not to let anyone in here."

Odo fixed her with his stare. "Lieutenant, I am not 'anyone.' You wouldn't give me any information about why you wanted this lab sealed, then you ask me to locate Bashir, believing he's been kidnapped. I thought it would be a good idea to check this lab out."

Jadzia crossed her arms defiantly. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Odo wasn't making this easy.

"What did you find? Did you find Dr. Bashir?" She was getting impatient.

"No, but I did find this." He produced a scrap of blue material. "I believe you'll find it matches your Starfleet uniforms. I'd say it  _was_ a Starfleet uniform, at one time."

Jadzia sadly plucked the remnant from Odo's hand, sure that Julian was the latest victim of the DS9 vampire.

***

Jadzia's voice was barely above a whisper. "Odo, where did you find this?"

"In here, near the door. I'd say we should start looking for Bashir's body." Odo paused, seeing Jadzia's eyes well up with tears. "I'm...sorry," he added quietly, leaving her and Benjamin staring down at the tattered bit of cloth.

"He loved wearing this uniform. It was his proudest day..." Jadzia's voice cracked.

Benjamin wasn't ready to give up. "Dax, don't give up yet. This may mean that Bashir managed to escape." He thought a moment, then tapped his commbadge.

"Sisko to O'Brien."

"O'Brien here," came the tired reply.

"Chief, I need you to do a sensor sweep of the entire station."

His voice picked up life. "What are we looking for, sir?"

"We are looking for Dr. Bashir." He proceeded to explain what had happened in the Science Lab and Julian's quarters. "Can you do it?"

"It'll be hard, without his commbadge. But if we know something that is unique to him, then it might be easier."

Jadzia's head jerked up, her eyes flashing determination. "We should check his medical records. Using his DNA, we may be able to trace him."

O'Brien sounded skeptical over the link. "But DNA lasts, Lieutenant. He's been all over the station. We need something that only lasts a short time, but doesn't change much."

Her eyes lit up. "His brain wave patterns. They're unique to each individual. Would that be possible to trace?"

Silence, then, "Yes. That should do it. Send it up to OPS when you find it. I'll start configuring the sensors for an intense sweep. O'Brien out."

Benjamin and Jadzia exchanged smiles. "I'm glad you're not giving up," Benjamin told her as they walked along the Promenade.

"I figured if you weren't giving up, then I couldn't, either," Jadzia responded. They reached the Infirmary, just as one of Julian's nurses, Sedi Jarelle, came out, a worried expression on her Bajoran features.

"Is something the matter?" Benjamin asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

She glanced up, startled. "I...there are some strange noises coming from Doctor Bashir's office. I wouldn't go in there," she warned before hurrying off. Jadzia and Benjamin ran to Julian's office, nearly colliding with the door. It was locked.

"Now what?" Benjamin started pacing.

"Well, someone must be in there." A noise came from the room, making them both draw closer. "Julian may have gotten away and hid in there to protect himself. If we can convince..." Jadzia was saying, when the door suddenly opened.

Peering into the darkness, they heard what sounded like quiet sobbing. With a glance at each other, Jadzia and Benjamin entered cautiously, letting their eyes adjust to the darkness. When they did, both gasped in surprise. Julian was curled up in a ball in the corner, his arms covering his face.

"Julian..." Jadzia took a step toward him, but Benjamin held her back.

"Don't, Dax. We have no idea what kind of shape he's in, or even if he recognizes us." He bent down slowly, afraid to make any sudden moves. He tried to make out more in the darkness, but it was hard with only the lights coming in from the outer area.

Jadzia slowly sank down next to him, peering intently at Julian. "Benjamin..." she whispered, her voice registering surprise, "can you see....?"

He slowly nodded. Looking at Dr. Bashir, it was easy to see why they had found bits of his clothing. His uniform was in rags; almost the entire left side was missing. Benjamin lifted his arm to reach for him, only to be hissed at. He jerked his hand back when he saw a flash of white teeth bared in defense. Julian's eyes glowed at them like two bright red beacons in the darkness.

Benjamin swallowed a disbelieving sound. "Dax, is he...?"

Jadzia turned to her old friend, sadness in her voice. "I'm afraid so. Julian has been transformed into a vampire."

***

"Dax, I think we better get out of here," Benjamin voiced his concern. If Doctor Bashir had been turned into a vampire, which looked to be the case, then he had killed two men already. He didn't want to give him any more victims.

Jadzia hadn't heard him. She was still watching Julian intently. "Benjamin, I think he recognizes us. Look."

Sure enough, Julian had stopped hissing at the sound of her voice. He was calmer, though still on the defensive.

"I seem to have a calming effect on him," she said, never taking her eyes off Julian's.

"And I guess that means I have the opposite effect," Benjamin said, hearing the hiss again at the sound of his voice. He tapped Jadzia on the shoulder and indicated the door. With a sigh, she reluctantly followed.

Once outside, the door shut and locked again. "Now what?" Jadzia snapped at Benjamin.

"Don't take that tone with me. I'm not having a good day," he replied as he rubbed his temples. He'd thought vampires were fairytales, like the stories he used to tell Jake. Now, one was staring him in the face, and the one person who could probably help him was the one affected.

"Dax, you said this may have been caused by the Sheli's blood samples. Maybe Bashir had some data..." He turned to find her already at a console, searching.

"I found something. Julian had broken the blood from the Sheli freighter down into it's basic components. If we run a check..." her fingers flew over the terminal pad, calling up additional data. "It looks like the blood did contain some strain of virus..that's odd." She broke off and stared at the screen, her brow creasing.

Benjamin walked closer when she stopped working. "What is it?"

"Well, it looks like Julian never finished his analysis of the virus." She pushed some more keys. "He stopped working on this about two weeks ago." She turned to Benjamin. "That has to be the answer. The virus must be vampirism." She turned back to the screen, tapping more keys. "I'm accessing all the files he had on this. I want to be sure of what this is, and I don't have time to look for the blood sample."

Benjamin let her work, going outside the Infirmary to talk with O'Brien and Kira.

***

Jadzia worked quietly at the terminal, searching and desperately hoping for an answer. She stared at the screen, willing it to give her the right answer. She heard a noise behind her, and drew a quick breath. She steadied herself and slowly turned around. The door to Julian's office had opened.

"...so Mr. O'Brien, it looks like we won't be needing your skills after all." Benjamin had updated O'Brien and Kira on what was happening in the Infirmary.

Kira's voice came over the link, her disbelief coming through as well.

"Are you telling us Commander, that Bashir has turned into a  _vampire_? And he's the one who killed Keshi?"

Benjamin could hear her incredulous tone. "Major, it may have been him, we don't know yet. It looks like he has been turned into a vampire or something similar. Dax is working on a possible solution as we speak. Sisko out." He closed the link before Kira could comment further.

"Julian, can you hear me? Can you understand me?" Jadzia called softly into the darkness. She was relatively certain that he wouldn't come out; since any bright light had been bothering him for days.  _All along_...she thought. Only indiscernible noises followed, but he was definitely responding to her voice. "Julian, it's Jadzia. Do you recognize me?" A muffle somewhere between a moan and a gasp was her answer, and her eyes filled with tears. "I know you're scared, Julian. But I'm working on a cure. We'll get you back." A snarl startled her, but she retained her calm voice. "Julian, I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. Just hang on." A whimper was her only response. She took it as a positive sign. She turned back to the computer, continuing to use her soothing voice to keep Julian with them long enough for her to find the antidote.

***

Benjamin stepped to the Infirmary doors, but they wouldn't open on his command. "Computer, open Infirmary doors. Authorization Sisko-alpha-one."

"That authorization is not accepted," the computer announced to a stunned Benjamin.

He tapped his commbadge. "Sisko to Dax, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Benjamin, why...?" he could hear confusion and distraction in her voice.

"I'm outside the Infirmary. It seems the Doctor wanted you to himself. The door is locked, and my voice codes aren't working. I'll get O'Brien down here, but I wanted to warn you. Watch your back."

A silence, then, "I will. Dax out." She turned around again, looking into the darkness of Julian's office. "That wasn't necessary, Julian. He just wants to help." More snarls greeted that. "He does want to help; so do I. You believe me, don't you? You can trust me; you know I won't hurt you." Silence greeted her announcement, then the whimpering started again. She felt her heart tugging, desperately wanting to end this for him.

***

"Odo, get a security team down here. We're reasonably certain the killer is locked in the Infirmary." Benjamin had contacted Odo immediately after the call to O'Brien.

Odo appeared around the corner, startling Benjamin. "He is? Then why aren't you trying to get in there?" Odo's contempt for incompetence was palpable. He forced his way past Benjamin and attempted to open the door.

Benjamin sighed. "It's locked, and even my clearance won't open it. But we have more than that to worry about." He proceeded to fill Odo in on everything he and Jadzia had learned, watching Odo's skepticism grow with each passing minute.

"You're telling me Bashir is a killer vampire, locked in the Infirmary with Dax, who's trying to find a cure? Huh!"

***

Finally, the computer finished it's analysis. Jadzia let a small smile of triumph appear when the computer confirmed her speculations. "Computer, is there any known antidote against vampirism?"

"Working"

Jadzia sat back, rubbing her bleary eyes. She didn't notice the time, and didn't really want to know. All she wanted was the antidote.

"Match found." Jadzia opened her eyes slowly, afraid the answer would disappear off the screen. When it didn't, she started gathering the necessary medicines, talking to Julian the entire time. His whimpers and snarls seemed to increase as Jadzia neared completing the antidote. Apprehension was building in her too, since she knew she had to administer the hypo to Julian. She was trying to figure out a way when her commbadge beeped. The sound startled her, and she almost dropped a bottle.

"Dax, are you OK?"

Steadying herself, she responded, "I'm fine, Benjamin. The blood sample did contain a vampirism virus. I'm mixing the antidote right now."

His concern for her safety came over their link. "Dax, how do you plan to administer the antidote?"

"Don't ask me that, Benjamin. I don't think you'll like the answer." She put the last ingredient in the mixture, and instructed the computer to analyze it. She wanted to make sure there were no mistakes.

"I'm sure I won't. Be careful, Jadzia," Benjamin added softly. He closed the link, turning to O'Brien. "How is it coming?"

Chief O'Brien had the panel off the door release and parts from it strewn all over the floor. "No luck yet, Commander. The Cardassians built in too many safety features; making sure no one got in or out unless they wanted them to."

"All right, Chief," Benjamin sighed in exasperation. He remembered something Jadzia had said, and turned to Odo. "Odo, Dax was running a check for ghost images of all people who were at the crime scenes, and a check for Sheli who had visited the station. I'd like you to check on the computer's progress."

Odo merely inclined his head, then went to the security office. He instructed the computer to download all information Jadzia had requested, and sat back to read it. Fifteen minutes later, he was staring intently at the screen, absorbing all the data. "The Sheli are blood- drinkers. But none of them had visited the station for four months. Bashir brought contaminated blood on board from an abandoned ship," he muttered to himself. "Computer, where was Doctor Bashir between 2530 and 0115 on the nights of each of the murders?"

"Doctor Bashir was in the Infirmary."

Odo's face managed a surprised expression. "Computer, confirm. Bashir was in the Infirmary during these times?"

"Affirmative."

He muttered to himself, "Well, then how could he have killed those people? Computer, bring up images from scanners of four nights ago, time frame 2545." He watched the screen, seeing no one for several minutes, then Keshi walked down the corridor. He turned around, a questioning look on his face. He turned back, and a shadow passed over him. The image blanked out.

Odo was furious. "Computer, reason for blackout."

"There is no blackout."

Odo slapped his hand down on the desk. "I hate to disagree with you, but there are no images after 2556. Explain."

"Those images have been erased."

Odo shook with disbelief and outrage. "Computer, who erased them?"

"Authorization code Doctor Julian Bashir."

If Odo was surprised before, it was nothing compared to now. "Computer, show me the scanner images from the docking ring last night, time frame 2545."

Again, nothing but empty corridor for several minutes, then the 'Molsza's' second officer stumbled into view. He was turning in circles as he walked, seemingly talking to the air. A shadow passed over him, and he began waving his arms wildly. The image blanked out.

Odo almost slammed the terminal across the room. "Computer, who erased the images after 2555?"

"Authorization code Doctor Julian Bashir."

Odo silently shook his head, not quite believing what he had seen. But with this evidence, and the fact that Julian had been missing, it looked like Julian had indeed been turned into a vampire...or he was covering for someone else who had.

***

The computer had confirmed that Jadzia had mixed the antidote correctly, and she had loaded it into a hypospray. She was sitting down, silently contemplating what she was about to do. Julian's whimpers and hissing had stopped a few minutes ago. She thought he could sense her intentions, and was waiting for her. She tapped her commbadge.

"Dax to Sisko."

"Sisko here." He had been worried when she said he didn't want to know how she would administer the antidote, but now that she had....

"Benjamin, I'm ready to administer the antidote. Julian has quieted down, so I think he's asleep."

"Dax, are you telling me you haven't administered it yet? But I thought..." Benjamin's voice trailed off. He didn't want to upset her, not if she was ready to go in. "Good luck, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Commander." She managed to keep the emotion out of her voice, and closed the link. She took a steadying breath and walked to the entrance to Julian's office. She let her eyes grow accustomed to the darkness, then stepped inside.

"Julian? It's Jadzia." She kept her voice low, not wanting to frighten him. A faint noise to her right caught her attention. She turned in that direction and saw him, staring at her with his glittering red eyes. She just stood for what seemed like hours, then stepped toward him, whispering the entire time.

"It's OK, Julian. I'm not going to hurt you. Everything will be fine." She had gotten within five feet of him, then slowly sank down on her knees. She checked to make sure the hypo was still attached to the back of her leg, then edged forward. She could see his chest rising and falling with his heavy breathing and the sweat beaded on his forehead.

Julian stared back at her, his eyes never leaving hers. He seemed transfixed by her. She used that to her advantage, edging closer still. She was so close...then he bared his teeth, and Jadzia was close enough to see the enlarged canines. She tried not to show alarm, sure that would send him over the edge. She remained where she was, sitting quietly. When he made no further move, she relaxed a fraction.

His ragged breathing had her worried. That, combined with the intense stares he was fixing on her, was making her distinctly uncomfortable, but she couldn't say why. She was also getting warm. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, noticing that she was sweating, too.

"Julian, I..." she said as her hand reached for his leg, since it was nearest to her. He didn't attempt to stop her, just kept staring at her, making her more uncomfortable by the minute. "Julian..." she whispered, as she touched his leg. His hand immediately came upon hers, grasping it tightly.

She gasped, not because it hurt, but because he brought it up to his face. He rubbed her hand along his jawline, almost nuzzling it. A light growl emerged from his throat, sending Jadzia's heart pounding. She moved closer until she was directly in front of him, able to make out every detail of his face. She saw the fine lines of sweat trickling down his jaw, the slight indentions on his lower lip from his pointed canines, and his eyes...she was mesmerized by his gaze, still intense, but not glowing as brightly as before. His eyes were a smoldering crimson...and full of passion. She leaned closer, and he howled.

She backed away, the emptied hypo in her hand as he thrashed about on the floor. She caught her breath as his gyrations died down. He lay trembling at her feet, his body turned away from her. She bent down, laying a hand on his shoulder. He grabbed it and held it tightly. He whipped his head around, and she let out the breath she'd been holding. His eyes were huge and unfocused, but they were back to normal.

"Dax...?" The voice behind her caused her to jump. She turned her head, smiling at the scene behind her. Benjamin was in the doorway, with O'Brien, Odo, and a whole security team in the outer room. Benjamin walked cautiously into Julian's office, his eyes never leaving the shaking form of the octor. "Dax, is he...better?"

She flashed him her famous Trill smile. "He is, as far as I can tell. I wouldn't do that just yet, Benjamin," she warned as she saw him advancing toward her. "He's still in shock. Too many people right now would panic him. Just leave us alone for a few minutes, would you? I'll be OK."

Benjamin nodded, and indicated everyone should stand by the Infirmary entrance...inside, this time.

She stroked Julian's hair, muttering soothing words to him, not sure if he really heard her or not. Eventually, the shaking stopped, and he was able to speak.

"Ja-Jadzia. What? Happened?" His voice was scratchy and trembling. His eyes were still wide and frightened, but they were starting to focus.

"I'll explain after you've had a chance to sleep. Do you want to sleep?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," he whispered, his eyes pleading. She helped him to his feet, and they walked toward the door. Julian stopped just short of the bright lights. Jadzia called for night setting, and they continued. She steered him to a biobed and he lay down, never releasing her hand. He gave her such a look of thanks that she smiled down at him and said, "No need to thank me. You just rest. Close your eyes. I'm not going anywhere." He closed them after one more look of gratitude, and promptly fell asleep.

She still couldn't get her hand out of Julian's grip, so just waved the others over. Benjamin was the first to approach.

"Is he cured?" he asked, looking at the readings.

"Yes, he is." She indicated the readings above Julian's head. "His chemical balance is normal, and I see no trace of the virus. He's going to sleep for a long time. He was tired before; he should be exhausted now."

Odo looked down at him, shaking his head. "I'm afraid once he wakes up, I'll be forced to arrest him. That ghost trace you had the computer run showed some interesting things, including that Bashir erased some of them."

Benjamin looked pointedly at the Constable. "Odo, you will not arrest the man simply on the basis of one fact. We don't know that he was consciously aware of what he was doing. He may have been influenced by the disease. And if we can declare this a disease, then we can't arrest him, just send him to an institution for treatment." Benjamin shook his head. "I don't like either option."

"Neither do I. Can't we wait until he wakes up, then decide if we have to even decide? He may not remember any of this," Jadzia added, silently hoping.

"Agreed. We'll wait, but Constable, I want you to make sure of this evidence. Make sure the authorization codes weren't forged. Mr. O'Brien can help you."

Odo inclined his head, and left Benjamin and Jadzia with the Doctor. Benjamin looked down at Julian's hand, still tightly holding on to Jadzia's. "Dax, it looks like you volunteered to stay with our patient until he wakes up," he said, his eyes twinkling at her.

"It looks as though I have," she commented dryly, grabbing a chair and settling herself down for a long night.

***

Jadzia felt a cramp in her back, and opened her eyes. She was stiff from sleeping in a chair in the Infirmary. She stretched, then looked toward Julian. He was still sound asleep, and Jadzia took the opportunity to gently clean his face. She had removed his tattered uniform and slipped an Infirmary gown on him a few hours ago. It had taken more than a little effort to get him to release her hand, even in sleep. He seemed to know she was the one who had helped him, and he clung to her like a life preserver.

She checked his lifesigns, assuring herself that they hadn't changed. She decided to run a check against his last medical exam, just to be sure. She breathed a sigh of relief when they matched.

"How is he?" a soft voice asked. She turned around and smiled at Sedi Jarelle, the nurse who had run out the other night.

"He'll be fine, once he wakes up. He's had a rough time of it lately." Jadzia glanced down at him, smiling softly.

Sedi cast a worried glance at Julian's inert form. "I know he has. The murders have been taking up all of his time lately. I understand they have a suspect in custody," she added as she moved closer to Julian's biobed.

"I wouldn't know. I've been taking care of Doctor Bashir for the last 23 hours," Jadzia said pointedly.

Sedi, to her credit, blushed slightly. "I'd like to apologize for my behavior the other night. I hadn't realized the Doctor was...ill. I should have performed my duties, like he asked."

Jadzia's voice softened. "Well, it's understandable. With the murders on the station, everyone's been on edge. If Odo does have someone in custody, everyone should be able to rest easier. I know I will." Jadzia said, watching Sedi's reaction closely. Something about her was odd, but she couldn't put her finger on what.

Sedi looked up and smiled at Jadzia. Coldly. "I'm sure you will. It's always been easy to sleep on this station, hasn't it? Especially since the Cardassians left and the Federation came in," the woman added, moving closer to Jadzia.

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Jadzia asked, moving slowly to the console.

"I didn't mind the Federation coming here. In fact, I welcomed it. And then I met..." her voice trailed off as her gaze switched to Julian, asleep and vulnerable. Jadzia moved closer to the biobed, determined that Sedi wasn't going to harm him.

She continued gazing at Julian, adoration shining from her eyes. "I was supposed to be the CMO of this station, but that went to Julian. But I didn't mind, because he recognized I had much to offer, and kept me on as his personal assistant. I was happy." Her gaze switched abruptly from adoration to cold hatred, directed at Jadzia. "Until I found out he had a  _thing_ for you."

Jadzia had been watching Sedi's hands, but glanced up sharply at that. "I never encouraged him. I always turned him down. I don't control him, and neither do you," she said as unthreateningly as she could. She was trying not to provoke the woman.

Wrong thing to say. "I know. You broke his heart every time, and I had to watch him go through it every time, listening while he poured his heart out to me. Do you know what it's like, listening to the man you love go on and on about another woman?" she cried, her voice rising with each word. She was advancing on Jadzia, a low growl emerging from her throat.

Jadzia swallowed in disbelief. The woman's eyes had turned fiery red, burning with intense hatred, and she was snarling. She thought about calling security, but didn't think they would get here in time. Jadzia was on her own, and she wasn't sure if she could handle it.

The nurse was changing in front of Jadzia, her canines growing as the hissing grew in volume. She was almost completely transformed and had Jadzia backed into a corner, when a voice stopped her cold.

"Jarelle?"

The woman spun around, gasping in surprise. "Julian! You're awake!" She immediately transformed back, and walked quickly to him. "Are you in any pain?" she asked, stroking his hair and gazing at him with concern.

Jadzia made that call to security while Jarelle was occupied. "Dax to Odo. Emergency. The killer is in the Infirmary. Dax out," she whispered, trying not to draw attention to herself. She didn't have to worry. The woman was completely occupied with Julian.

Julian was still weak, but he was fixing all his attention on Sedi. "I'm not in any pain. I'm not even sure what happened to me." He gazed up at her, his large eyes questioning. "Do you know?"

She sadly shook her head. "No, I'm afraid I don't. I think you overextended yourself with the murders, and worked yourself to exhaustion. Your body shut down for you, since you wouldn't listen to it," she teased. She was rewarded with one of his smiles, though not quite as bright as usual.

"I think I'll listen to it from now on," he said softly, taking her hand in his. Her smile lighted the room. "Thank you, for taking care of me," he added.

A scowl appeared on the Bajoran's face, but only for an instant. Her smile on again, she said, "No need to thank me. I was just doing my job."

"And I'm doing mine." Odo's voice cut in as he seized Sedi's wrist. "You are under arrest for the murders of Keshi Toolang and Fiode Noo."

Sedi's eyes narrowed and she began to change again. She howled as a hypo hissed into her shoulder, then collapsed.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I didn't want to get aggressive with her," Odo nodded at Jadzia, who held an empty hypo. "What was in that?" he asked as she administered another hypo.

"The first was a sedative. This is the antidote I gave to Julian. She transformed in front of me, Odo."

Odo, for his part, didn't seem surprised. He merely said, "I understand. I'll take her to a holding cell, just in case she decides to wake up." He had his men put her on a antigrav unit and take her away.

Odo turned to Julian. "Thank you too, Doctor. You bought us some valuable time."

Julian smiled weakly. The strain of helping had cost him, and he closed his eyes. Odo indicated Jadzia to follow him.

When they were a few feet from Julian, Odo began his report. "I discovered the authorization codes were tampered with...by Sedi Jarelle."

Jadzia raised her eyebrows. "I guess she copied his voice. She's been his assistant for over two years; I guess she learned a few things." She looked back at Julian, concerned for him. "What about Julian? Are you still going to arrest him?" she asked.

"We don't know that Sedi was the killer. We just know that she erased the imaging files." Odo paused. "I'd need more proof to convict either one."

When Jadzia didn't say anything for several minutes, Odo became concerned. "Lieutenant...?"

"Odo, do you remember those skin cells Julian found on Keshi?" she asked as she moved to the console. "Did anyone ever look for the results of the computer check?"

"I don't think so. We were a bit preoccupied with the other murder and a missing officer," Odo said sarcastically.

Jadzia's fingers were flying over the terminal. She broke into a wide smile. "Yes. The computer did find a match: Sedi Jarelle." She turned to Odo, the grin becoming wider. "Julian didn't kill Keshi. And he probably locked himself in his office, so he couldn't have killed Fiode Noo, either."

"I did."

Jadzia and Odo spun toward Julian, now wide awake. His voice was barely above a whisper. "I locked myself in there when I discovered what I had become. I didn't want to hurt anyone, so I barricaded myself in there." His voice was frightened and shaking.

Odo moved to the biobed in full professional mode. "Are you saying you didn't kill anyone?" he asked.

"Yes. I didn't kill anyone." Jadzia was by his side then, holding his hand. He smiled gratefully at her, then turned his head to Odo. "Sedi was working on the blood samples from the Sheli freighter we found in the Denorios Belt. She said she found nothing of importance, but I couldn't accept that. So I did a little investigating on my own. I discovered a virus, but I didn't..." his voice trailed off. "I remember running some tests, but I don't think..." he broke off, trying to remember.

Jadzia smiled sympathetically at him. "I found your research. You just seemed to stop work on it about two weeks ago. Can you remember anything that happened?" she asked, and winced at his expression, sorry she has asked.

His voice was gravely and hard. "Yes, I remember it all. I was having nightmares for almost three weeks, the time that the samples were brought aboard. I could feel something happening to me, but didn't know what it was. And I couldn't check, because every time I came into the Infirmary, it was like something was forcing me out. I just....couldn't be in here. Then the transformation happened." He shuddered as the memories overtook him. He took a deep breath and continued. "The first time, I had no idea what was happening. I...don't remember much about it, but I woke up in my closet, buried in the corner. After that, I'm not sure. I remember...looking down...I was flying, " he said incredulously. "I was flying around the station, following..." his eyes darted to Jadzia, who blinked in surprise.

"You were following me? That's why I felt like I was being watched." She overcame her shock with relief that she wasn't paranoid.

Julian lowered his eyes sheepishly. "I'd like to apologize. It's...I felt I had to....be near you, that I somehow knew you were the only one who could help me."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm just glad I could." She glanced at Odo. "Well, are you convinced he didn't kill them?"

Odo shot one more glance at Julian, then nodded. "I'm sure we can get a confession out of Sedi. She seemed the talkative type," he added.

Jadzia cast him a curious look, then laughed. "You were here all along, weren't you?"

He smiled. "Luckily, you needed another chair." He tilted his head and left Julian and Jadzia alone.

Julian looked up at Jadzia again, fixing her with his eyes. "I want to thank you again, Jadzia, for helping me. I..."

Jadzia raised her hand to stop him. "Will you quit thanking me? You saved my life, I saved yours. You'd think we didn't do this every day," she grinned.

He rolled his eyes, then winced. "Well, I do, you know." He tried to sit up, but Jadzia gently pushed him back down. "But I'm starving," he protested.

"You're going to rest until you get your strength back. I'll fix something." She walked to the replicator and ordered two dinners.

Julian raised his eyebrows when he saw all the food. "I said I was hungry, but I don't think I'm _that_ hungry," he teased.

Jadzia arched an eyebrow at him. "One is for me. I was up all night, watching you." She placed the dinners on the bed and they ate in silence.

Jadzia glanced up a number of times, noticing Julian fixing her with intense looks. She remembered staring into those same eyes, feeling drawn to him, his hand pulling hers closer, nuzzling it, the intense passion reflected at her...she shook herself from those memories. 'It wasn't him, it was the virus,' she told herself, but found herself glancing up at him, curious.

Julian was remembering, too. He knew what he had felt, but didn't know if it was him or the virus that caused him to act that way toward Jadzia. He remembered how her breath caught in her throat when he touched her, could still feel her hand caressing his jaw, her gaze on his, felt himself willing her to come to him, growling low in his throat at her touch...he shook himself out of those memories. He blushed profusely, embarrassed by what he had been thinking, but his heart was pounding in his ears and he was almost panting. He was shocked by his own reaction. 'She didn't really feel that way. She was just trying to get close enough to give me the antidote,' he told himself, willing himself to calm down and quit that damn blushing. It was several minutes before he could look up again.

He smiled weakly at her, twinges of embarrassment still coloring his features. She smiled back, though not her usual smile. She seemed...preoccupied. She took his plate when he was done and returned to find him sitting up.

"Jadzia, I'd like to talk about what happened," he began, looking uncomfortable.

"Only if you feel like it," she said, tilting her head, regarding him. "It must have been awful, not knowing what your own body was doing," she added sympathetically.

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant," he said, directing his gaze at his hands. "I meant what Sedi said."

"Oh." Jadzia sat down next to the biobed and cleared her throat. "I want to apologize, if that's what you went through..."

Julian glanced up sharply, cutting her off before she embarrassed herself or him any more than necessary. "Not all of what she said was true. Yes, I did talk to her about you, but not like that. I was merely venting frustration." He quirked a grin at her. "I don't like to lose."

The corner of Jadzia's mouth twitched. "So you just 'vented' to Sedi, and she misinterpreted, correct?"

He nodded. "Exactly. I knew she had feelings for me, but I didn't want to take advantage of that. She was a good assistant, and I didn't want to lose her," he added sadly.

It was Jadzia's turn for a quirky grin. "I hate to break the news to you, but you lost her anyway."

He sighed. "It certainly looks that way, doesn't it?" He sat silently for a moment, then looked up at Jadzia. "You said you gave her the same antidote you gave me. Does that mean she was affected, too?"

"It sure looked that way to me. She expressed the same symptoms as you. Growling, fangs, red eyes..." Her voice trailed off as Julian fixed her with his eyes again.

He held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. "It certainly sounds the same." He sat silently a moment longer, lost in thought. "I wonder if she infected herself intentionally," he mused out loud.

"Why would she do that?" Jadzia asked, confused.

"Because I was wondering if she infected *me* intentionally." Noticing Jadzia's shocked expression, he elaborated. "I remember when I discovered the virus, I ran some checks. There was no way for the virus to be transferred except through the bloodstream. So unless I drank it or was deliberately injected with it..."

"There was no way for you to catch it. She had to give it to you," Jadzia finished for him. "So the question remains; why?"

Julian chewed his thumbnail, deep in thought. "I guess she thought if she and I were the same, then I would like her more," he said with a shrug. "Or, maybe she could control me somehow."

"Or maybe she thought it would get your attention," Jadzia teased, trying to lighten the mood. She succeeded.

Julian rolled his eyes. "Well, it certainly did that." He smiled at Jadzia, then his gaze flicked to a chrono. "What does that say?" he asked, surprised.

She glanced at the chrono, then smiled at him. "Yes, you've been out of it for quite awhile, Doctor. It's 0735, two days after you locked yourself in your office."

"And you've been here...?" his voice trailed off as he noticed the dark circles under Jadzia's eyes. "When was the last time you got a decent night's sleep?"

She pretended to give it great thought. "Um, about four days ago," she teased.

"Then I order you to bed. You've worried about me long enough. It's time for me to start worrying about everyone else. Now scat!" he added for emphasis.

"Think you can get rid of me that easily?" she teased. She got out of her chair before he could comment. "I'm going, I'm going," she added when she saw his expression. She made it to the door and turned around. "You sure you'll get some sleep?" she asked him.

"Are you?" he retaliated.

"Yes."

"Me too," he said with a grin. He lay back down on the biobed, his head resting on his crooked arm. "Goodnight, Jadzia."

"Goodnight, Julian," she replied as she walked out of the Infirmary.

Julian watched her leave with his brilliant, crimson eyes.

The End


End file.
